Lubrication of a planetary gear device

Abstract

A vehicle motive power transmission apparatus includes: a planetary gear device; an oil pump for sucking oil present in an apparatus case; a one-way clutch that transmits normal-direction rotation output of the planetary gear device to the oil pump, but does not transmit reverse-direction rotation output of the planetary gear device to the oil pump; an oil tank which is provided in the apparatus case, and which is provided with a first introduction portion that receives oil that is splashed upward as a gear in the apparatus case rotates in a normal direction, and a second introduction portion that receives oil that is splashed upward as the gear rotates in a reverse direction; and an oil passageway that supplies the planetary gear device with oil present in the oil tank or oil sucked by the oil pump.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle motive power transmission apparatus comprising:
 a planetary gear device via which rotation power generated by a motive power source is transmitted to an output side; 
 an oil pump for sucking oil present in an apparatus case; 
 a one-way clutch that transmits normal-direction rotation output of the planetary gear device to the oil pump, but does not transmit reverse-direction rotation output of the planetary gear device to the oil pump; 
 an oil tank which is provided in the apparatus case, and which is provided with a first introduction portion that receives oil that is splashed upward as a gear in the apparatus case rotates in a normal direction, and a second introduction portion that receives oil that is splashed upward as the gear rotates in a reverse direction; and 
 an oil passageway that supplies the planetary gear device with oil present in the oil tank or oil sucked by the oil pump. 
 
     
     
       2. The motive power transmission apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear device is constructed so that the rotation power generated by the motive power source is input to a sun gear, and is output from a ring gear, and the oil passageway conveys oil along a rotation axis of the ring gear, and discharges oil radially outward from a radially inner side of the sun gear. 
     
     
       3. The motive power transmission apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motive power source is an electric motor, and the electric motor and the planetary gear device are disposed side by side on an axis, and the oil passageway conveys oil along a rotation axis of the electric motor, and discharges oil radially outward from a radially inner side of the electric motor. 
     
     
       4. The motive power transmission apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a differential device that receives rotation power of a ring gear of the planetary gear device, and transmits rotation power to left and right wheels of the vehicle, wherein a gear that splashes the oil up is a final ring gear of the differential device. 
 
     
     
       5. The motive power transmission apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an oil guide that guides oil to the second introduction portion. 
 
     
     
       6. A vehicle motive power transmission apparatus comprising:
 a planetary gear device via which rotation power generated by a motive power source is transmitted to an output side; 
 an oil pump that sucks up oil present in an apparatus case; 
 a one-way clutch that transmits normal-direction rotation output of the planetary gear device to the oil pump, but does not transmit reverse-direction rotation output of the planetary gear device to the oil pump; 
 an oil tank which is provided in the apparatus case, and which is provided with an oil introduction portion that receives oil that is splashed upward as a gear in the apparatus case rotates in a reverse direction; and 
 an oil passageway that supplies the planetary gear device with oil present in the oil tank or oil sucked by the oil pump. 
 
     
     
       7. The motive power transmission apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an oil guide that guides oil to the oil introduction portion.